bbidckes



R. E. BRiDGES.

PORTABLE IURNUUT SWIICH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. ll, I9l5l.

latvntvd Sept. J, 1919.

BEUBEKE. 33313018. OI' GALR'IERVILLI, 115501331.

ronrntr. rumour-smelt.

Specification or Letters I'atent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed Inch 11, 1919. Born no. caress.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RnunsnE. BRIDGES, residing at Cartel-ville, the county of Jasper, and State of llrfissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Turnout-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is directed to portable turnout switches for mines and other industrial railways.

In carrying out the invention it is my purpose to provide a portable turnout switch of the charactermentioned, the construction of which is of the simplest so that neither special parts nor machinery are required in its manufacture, only such materials as constitute the usual equipment in mining operations being utilized.

I am fully aware that the broad principle of a portable railway switch is not new and therefore claim as novel in my present structure only those features which serve to maintain the production cost at a minimum figure and at the same time provide for increased eflieiency and utility. It is in addition my purpose to produce a railway turnout that may be quickly and conveniently positioned upon the rails of the main line track and as readily removed therefrom, means of novel construction and arrangement being provided for maintaining the turnout operatively applied to said main line track.

With the above and other objects ofsimilar nature in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of main track showing my improved portable turnout switch operatively a plied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation t ereof,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4: is a detail section taken on the line 4-4: of Fig. 1. 1

Referr' now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated a portion of the main track A of a narrow gage line for mines and other like industries, the same including rails 10 and 11 supported upon cross ties 12, said rails constituting a permanent track way upon which cars for conveying the ore bearing dirt are propelled in any suitable manner.

My improved portable turnout switch is arranged at intervals therehetween.

designated generally by the character B and consists of curved rail sections 13 and 1d rigidly connected by means of tie rodsTllf e rails 13 and 14 are removably supported upon the rails 10 and 11 of the main track and have corresponding ends tapered as,

shown at 16 to provide suitable runways 17 leading to and from the rails 10 and 11. In order to secure the rails 13 and 14 against lateral displacement from the rails 10 and 11 and at the same time allow for convenient removal'of the turnout switch from the main track A, the rails 13 and 14; are each provided adjacent its tapered end with slots 18 opening outwardly through opposite sides of its base 19. Passing vertically through said slots so that their lower ends project a considerable distance below the base 19 of the rail, are spaced plates 20, the distance between said plates being approximately equal to the width of the hall portions 21 of the main track rails 10 and 11 so as to receive and snugly embrace the same as shown most clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The upper ends of the plates 20 extend on up pos'ite sides of the web 22 of the related curved rail, while between said ends and the web are filler blocks 23, bolts 24 being passed through said web, blocks and plates for maintaining them rigidly in position.

In order to further reinforce the structure and assist in preventing its displacement from the main track A, there are provided additional depending plates 25 carried by the curved rails 13 and 14 inwardly of the plates 7 20, the same passin downwardly through slots 26 formed in t e base of the rail to engage the outer face of the ball portion of the corresponding main track rail. Blocks 2'? are also interposed between said plates 25 and the web portions 22 of the curved rails while the same bolts 28 which secure the tie rods 15 in place are utilized to hold said plates and blocks in position.

As an illustration of the use of my improved portable turnout switch, I will assume that. two cars, one loaded and the other empty, are approaching from opposite directions on the main track A. It is therefore necessary to shift the em ty from the main linein order that the oaded car may he allowed to pass. The turnout is then brought into use, the empty car passing on to the curved rails 13 and 14 and thence to the permunent branch track section29 with which the turnout is detachably connected as clearly shown in Fi 1. After disposing of the empty car in t is manner, the turnout is disconnected from the branch line and then lifted bodily from the main track so that trafl'lc over the latter may be continued. It is of course understood that the turnoutmay be removed and replaced at will to meet the trailic requirements, such changes being effected with aminimum exof time and labor.

It will furthermore be observed that a turnout switch constructed in the manner above described may he produced with such materials and tools as are found in the usual equinment of all mining operations, no special machinery, dies or the like being required.

What I claim is 1. A portable railway turnout consisting of a pair of curved rails adapted to be removably disposed upon the rails of a main track and having their corresponding ends movabl disposed upon the rails of the main track, each of said curvea rails adjacent one enrl having its base slotted inwardly from opposite si es, spaced plates passing through said slots and extending below the base to w snugly embrace the ball portion of the cor responding main trackrail, and a securing element common to both plates passed through the Web portion of the related curved rail.

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature 7 in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN E. BREGES. Witnesses:

3. .Wnnmnn, ll. Gees. 

